Sunday, March 16, 2025
34.0°F

Conference on connecting careers at CB Tech

CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 7 years, 9 months AGO
by CHERYL SCHWEIZER
Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience serving small communities in the Pacific Northwest. She began her post-high-school education at Treasure Valley Community College and enerned her journalism degree at Oregon State University. After working for multiple publications, she has settled down at the Columbia Basin Herald and has been a staple of the newsroom for more than a decade. Schweizer’s dedication to her communities and profession has earned her the nickname “The Baroness of Bylines.” She covers a variety of beats including health, business and various municipalities. | June 1, 2017 3:00 AM

MOSES LAKE — Lacy Johnson said her class in criminal justice at Columbia Basin Technical Skills Center helped her decide law enforcement would be a good career choice for her.

“We got to take down Mr. Ruffin,” she said. That’s class instructor Dave Ruffin, former Moses Lake police chief. (The video of that takedown went viral around school, said CB Tech director Christine Armstrong.) Christina Martin said she, like Lacy, learned that law enforcement is an attractive career path for her after attending the criminal justice class.

Alma Gonzalez, Othello, is in the professional medical careers class, and the experience she got there helped her decide nursing is the career for her, she said. She plans to apply to the nursing program at Big Bend Community College, and eventually go to a four-year college for a bachelor's in nursing, she added.

Alma, Christina and Lacy talked about their experiences with “career connected learning” during the Moses Lake portion of a statewide meeting on the subject. CB Tech was one of 26 sites to host the teleconference.

Qualifying for jobs and careers will require training and education after high school, Armstrong said. “When they (students) leave here, they still need more.” But not all jobs require a four-year degree – in fact, most don’t, she added.

High schools can help kids explore their options by letting them experiment with different career classes, Armstrong said. Washington was one of six states to receive a grant from the National Governors Association to work on a program to teach kids more about their post-high school options and what kind of training is needed for different careers.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.

MORE IMPORTED STORIES

Samaritan 'program support' at CB Tech
Columbia Basin Herald | Updated 6 years, 9 months ago
New CB Tech program unveiled Thursday
Columbia Basin Herald | Updated 8 years, 4 months ago
Two new programs added to CB Tech schedule
Columbia Basin Herald | Updated 9 years ago

ARTICLES BY CHERYL SCHWEIZER

Additional testing needed for Quincy pool
March 14, 2025 3 a.m.

Additional testing needed for Quincy pool

QUINCY — Excavation for the new Quincy Aquatic Center is going to require some additional soil sampling first. Parks and Recreation Director Russ Harrington said in an earlier interview that city officials hope to start work on the pool this summer, possibly in May or June. But the city may have to make some changes to the project before starting to move dirt, due to the possibility of subsurface contaminants.

Mavericks named to Big 9 all-league wrestling team
March 14, 2025 3 a.m.

Mavericks named to Big 9 all-league wrestling team

MOSES LAKE — Multiple Moses Lake wrestlers received honors on the Big 9 all-league wrestling team, and the girls wrestling assistant coaching staff was named the assistant staff of the year. All-league wrestlers are listed below.

Royal’s Arroyo named SCAC co-wrestler of the year
March 14, 2025 3 a.m.

Royal’s Arroyo named SCAC co-wrestler of the year

ROYAL CITY — Junior Sharon Arroyo was named as one of two wrestlers of the year, and girls coach Jesus Carlos Villa named coach of the year on the South Central Athletic Conference all league team. The Knights also received the sportsmanship award.